This movie was brutally disrespected. People expected Goro Miyazaki to have the same style as his master animator father, Hayao Miyazaki, when really he had a style of his own (this would later be confirmed in From Up on Poppy Hill). What is this style? One of simplicity. This film may not have boasted the elegant feel of most Ghibli films, but it didn’t need it. What it boasted instead was the beauty of a legend, or the simplicity of an old fairy tale: I guess people were expecting a movie they weren’t going to get.
In the film, we follow the young Prince Arren and his exploits after killing his father (the king) as he faces his own morality and guilt.
The film had a good moral and heart. A lot of people complained about this movie being confusing, which I did not find was the case. There were some unexplained events and confusing occurrences, but things eventually settled. I watched the Japanese dub, but I doubt that made a major difference. I suggest you watch it with an open mind… you’ll be surprised.